


anchor in the night

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mason gets hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22028992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: When Mason shows up on his doorstep bloodied and bruised in the middle of the night, Theo has no choice but to bring him inside.
Relationships: Mason Hewitt/Theo Raeken
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	anchor in the night

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a hero/villain prompt.

Mason held back a whimper as Theo gripped his chin, guiding his face up. The dim porch light did little to hide the evidence of the fight. Theo’s jaw slowly tightened, a soft click reaching Mason’s ears. Featherlight fingers brushed over his lips, collecting the liquid still dripping from them. Theo’s silence made his heart kick up as the other studied his face, eyes flitting across each wound and cataloguing it. Finally, Theo let go of his chin and cold eyes met his. “Who did this to you?” A chill ran down his spine. He’d never heard Theo so calm. So deadly. So much like the weapon he had once been.

“I had nowhere else to go.” Mason’s lip quivered. Wordlessly, Theo pushed open the door behind him and Mason followed him in. The apartment was dark, but Theo took him by the hand and guided him through the pitch black. They passed through a doorway and suddenly a click sounded, a single lightbulb flickering to life above them. Theo’s hand slipped from his and the other man turned, some of the cold anger rising back to the surface as he studied Mason again.

“Just your face?” Theo asked, reaching back up. His fingers settled on the side of Mason’s neck, rubbing soothingly across his pulse. He bit down on his lip without thinking, a pained gasp flying out. Tears prickled uncomfortably at his eyes as he weakly shook his head, sucking in a breath.

“No.” The admission somehow felt like a deadly mistake. Theo’s eyes flashed to gold faster than he could blink. A low growl escaped the chimera as his gaze dropped lower.

“Where else?” The scratch of his voice sent shivers down Mason’s spine.

“It’s not so bad…” he lied pathetically. The curl of Theo’s lip told him he didn’t buy it for a second. 

“Take your shirt off.”

“Theo-“ The chimera’s claws came out, effortlessly slicing his shirt from collarbone to his waist. The fabric fell to his sides and he tensed, watching the rapid rise and fall of Theo’s chest. 

“Tell me who did this.” He demanded, blazing golden eyes burning into Mason’s a moment later. “Who the fuck laid their hands on you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Mason whispered. Wrong answer. Theo’s snarl let him know that he wasn’t going to accept such a careless comment. “Theo, please. I just need somewhere to crash for a few nights. My parents can’t see me like this.” He pleaded softly. 

“Like I’m letting you go anywhere.” Theo snorted dryly. “Strip down and sit.” He ordered. Mason’s lips parted in protest and the chimera growled again, silencing him. He left without a word, leaving Mason in the bathroom. Closing his eyes, he carefully peeled the rest of his shirt away and let the tattered ruins fall to the floor. Unbuttoning his jeans made his shoulders throb and he had to stop, breathing shallowly so he didn’t get sick again. He opened his eyes to look down at his torso, breath catching. Already his skin was darkening, turning various shades of purple and red from where the worst of the hits had landed. He was goddamn lucky that they hadn’t punctured anything. He could faintly see the print of the boot that had been on his chest, pinning him to the ground. 

The memories came back and he whined, screwing his eyes shut as fresh waves of pain rolled through him. Something hit the floor at his feet and warm fingers wrapped around his wrists. His eyes shot open in panic and he jerked back, whimpering. “It’s just me.” Theo said, reaching for him again. Black lines traveled up his arms the moment they touched and Mason’s knees went weak with relief. “Hang on. I’ve got you.” Theo promised. His hands were nudged aside and he held his breath, heart pounding as Theo undid his jeans and nudged them down his thighs. The chimera sank in front of him, tugging the fabric below his knees before he started to unlace Mason’s sneakers. Theo undressed him with care, helping him step out of his clothes and move to sit on the toilet lid. 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Mason said, sniffling. “I shouldn’t even be here.”

“But you came to me.” Theo said, turning to open the cabinet under the sink. He retrieved a small first aid kit and a washcloth, setting them on the floor. “Why is that?” He asked, continuing to rummage below the sink. 

“Because…” Mason paused, considering his answer. Truthfully, he didn’t fully understand why he had come here. Sure, Theo and he were on decent terms, but it wasn’t as though they were best friends. 

“I wasn’t your only option.” Theo said, glancing at him. “You could have gone to Deaton. Scott’s mom. Argent. The deputy.”

“Are you going to name every adult in Beacon Hills?” Mason asked, rolling his eyes. “I didn’t want to see any of them. Okay?”

“So you came to me.”

“Yeah.” Mason swallowed hard. Theo closed the cabinet and tossed two washcloths up into the sink, standing with a bottle of rubbing alcohol in hand. “I knew you wouldn’t turn me away.” Theo was quiet for a moment, not looking at him. Mason wondered what he’d said wrong. 

“How times have changed.” The chimera uttered so softly that Mason almost didn’t hear him. 

“Guess they have.” Curious green eyes turned to face him and he shrugged, wincing in pain. 

“I need to clean your wounds. This is going to hurt.” Theo warned, washing his hands. 

“Can’t hurt more than I already do.” Mason said. 

“Just wait.” Dousing a cotton pad in rubbing alcohol, Theo guided Mason’s head up toward the light and pressed it to his temple. He recoiled with a hiss, whimpering as Theo chased him and applied pressure. 

“Can’t you be gentle?” He complained. 

“Wasn’t raised to be gentle.” The response shouldn’t have made him laugh. The ugly noise slipped through Mason’s teeth, sharp and pained as Theo cleaned his face. 

“I’m sorry,” he wheezed as Theo’s brows scrunched together. “Shouldn’t laugh.”

“It’s fine. We both know it’s true.” Theo said, guiding Mason’s face up toward the light. “Are you going to tell me what happened or do we need to play twenty questions?”

“You know what that is?” Mason asked, eyes widening a fraction. Theo chuckled and brushed the cotton swab over his eyebrow, making him recoil again. 

“I know a lot of things. Hold still, you’re making this harder on yourself.” He chided gently. 

“It’s what I’m good at.” Mason said, wincing. “Theo…” he hesitated, tongue poking from the corner of his mouth. 

“You’re scared to tell me. Why?” The chimera asked, moving closer to his hairline. 

“I don’t want you going after them or doing something stupid on my behalf.” Mason said. “They were hunters.”

“Monroe’s people?” Theo asked, hand going still. 

“I think so. I think they wanted to send a message to Scott. Any ally of his is in danger.” Mason dug his fingers into his thigh and exhaled shakily. “They wanted me dead. But someone came out of the bar and they ran. Guess they were worried about someone calling the cops.”

“But you’re human. You shouldn’t have been a target.” Theo lightly traced his fingers down Mason’s throat and upper chest, resting at the imprint of a boot. “They held you down here?”

“One guy did while his friends kicked my sides. Not for long, they didn’t break anything. It just hurts like hell.” Mason said with a bitter laugh. 

“You didn’t deserve this. When I find those scum-“

“You won’t go after them.” Mason said, grabbing Theo by the wrist. “Please. They’re hunters and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Once upon a time, you would have thrown me to the hunters.” Theo murmured, watching him with dark eyes. “What’s changed?”

“We’re friends now.” Mason said, a tremor in his voice. Theo shook his head and moved his hand over Mason’s heart, lightly tapping his index finger over it. 

“There’s more than you’re saying.” The chimera whispered. Mason’s breath hitched and he smirked, leaning down until their noses brushed. “Say it, Mason. I can smell it. I know you feel it right now.” 

“That’s not fair. You can smell pheromones.” Mason laughed shakily. “What if I don’t want to tell you like this?”

“Never pegged you for a coward,” Theo murmured faintly. Mason let out a noise of protest, vigorously shaking his head. He quickly stopped as the world around him tilted violently, growing fuzzy around the edges. “Take it easy.” Theo soothed, freeing his hand from Mason’s hold and gently setting it on the back of his head. He breathed a sigh of relief, watching as thick black lines coursed along Theo’s veins. 

“When did you start caring?” He asked. Theo tipped his head back in consideration and stepped back, dropping his hands. He grabbed a few new cotton swabs and doused them in rubbing alcohol, kneeling down in front of Mason. He set one against a cut on his collarbone, frowning as Mason flinched back. 

“High school graduation. The party at the lake house. You got wasted and I had to carry your drunk ass to the couch from where you’d passed out on the back porch. You woke up when I was trying to take your shoes off and thanked me for taking care of you.” Theo said, gently dabbing away at the dried blood. “No one’s ever really thanked me before.”

“That was almost a year ago.” Mason said. 

“And what about you? When did you start seeing me as less of a monster?” Theo asked. 

“The tunnels. When you shoved me out of the way.” Mason confessed. 

“When you said I didn’t care because I couldn’t take your pain. Funny way of showing you cared.” Theo said flatly. 

“I was scared out of my mind that night. I said a lot of things that I regret. And you still saved my life. No one would have known if you’d just let me die but you didn’t.” Mason said, reaching for Theo’s hand. “That’s when I saw you a little bit differently. And then the night on the couch...that’s when I considered you a friend.”

“How touching,” Theo mused. 

“Shut up.” Cracking a smile, Mason gently squeezed Theo’s hand. “Just...promise me you won’t go after them.” He said quietly. Theo’s eyes flashed and he squeezed harder, holding him there. “I’m not saying you can’t go after them and beat their asses if you see them walking down the street. I’m just asking that you don’t chase them down.”

“I make no promises.” Theo said through gritted teeth. With a soft growl, his eyes changed back to green and Mason’s thumb brushed against his pulse. “They could have killed you.”

“But they didn’t. And if they tried to come after me…”

“They wouldn’t make it through the front door.” Theo promised, lifting their joined hands to kiss Mason’s knuckles. He released him and stood, grabbing a few bandages from his first aid kit. Carefully wrapping Mason’s worst cuts, he eased him onto his feet and flipped the light switch. Mason’s hand tightened like a vice around his own and he turned his head, eyes glowing gold. “Trust me, I’ve got you.”

“I can’t see like you.” Mason huffed, shuffling awkwardly as the chimera led him through the darkened apartment. He found himself being nudged down onto the mattress and went willingly, groaning as he lay on his back. Theo’s hand left his own and he listened to the sound of clothes hitting the floor, closing his eyes. A warm body pressed against him and turned him carefully onto his uninjured side, strong arms wrapping around him. The pain eased instantly and he closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. “You’re magic, Theo.”

“Shut up and go to sleep.” Theo murmured, lips brushing against the back of his neck. 

“Are we going to talk about this?” Mason asked as the chimera twined their legs together.

“In the morning. Right now, we sleep. You okay with that?” Theo asked. Mason nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back against the other man.

“Yeah.” He’d never felt safer.


End file.
